William Willett first proposed changing clocks in England in 1908, but Germany, seeking to save on energy costs during World War I, was the first country to enact the practice in 1915, followed by the U.S. and other nations in 1918.

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Origin and Etymology of nation

Middle English nacioun, from Anglo-French naciun, from Latin nation-, natio birth, race, nation, from nasci to be born; akin to Latin gignere to beget — more at kin

Word Root of nation

The Latin word nāscī, meaning “to be born,” and its form nātus give us the roots nat and nai. Words from the Latin nāscī have something to do with being born. When someone is native to a particular place, she or he was born there. A nation, or country, is a place where people are born. Anyone naive has a lack of knowledge and experience as if he or she was only recently born.